a new battlecry

Do you know why you can't tickle yourself? (I just learned this). It's impossible because your brain is able to send a message saying exactly when and with what force your fingers are going to "attack." And so, the element of surprise--which is necessary for the desired laughing reaction to occur--is erased from the equation, therefore changing the reflex completely. You don't laugh, you don't even flinch, you just look like you have some sort of itch that you can't get rid of. There's still a problem in "real" tickling though--you don't know exactly when and with how much force someone else will come at you, so your body panics, and the laughing is the form of release this panic chooses. Therefore, it is not "happy" laughing, or sounds of joy and fun...it is a verbal spasm to combat the physical onslaught known as "tickling." Now, when I get tickled, I will appropriately shout, "tickling induces panic! STOP!"